SIGN UP

Create an Inhabitat account

Sign up for weekly newsletter

I agree to receive emails from the site. I can withdraw my consent at any time by unsubscribing.

I agree to Inhabitat's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and to the use of cookies described therein, and I also consent to the collection, storage, and processing of my data in the United States, where data protection laws may be different from those in my country.

Central Valley Scores First Piece of California’s High Speed Rail

California’s much-anticipated high-speed rail project is finally set to hit the tracks — starting with a 54 mile-long stretch of railway set to be laid down in the Central Valley. The track, which was just approved by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, will stretch from Borden to Fresno to Corcoran. But why the Central Valley — and not one of the state’s many population centers?

The route won’t actually become operable until more tracks are laid down, but engineers say that the Central Valley is ideal as a starting point because it fulfills a federal requirement that the track be usable even if the rest of the planned 800 mile railway isn’t built. The area is also flat, so bullet trains can speed up to 220 mph.

The first stretch of track is expected to be finished by 2017. If all goes well, the track will eventually extend to San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. That is, of course, assuming that the California High-Speed Rail Authority can get funding.

One thought on “Central Valley Scores First Piece of California’s High Speed Rail”

RELATED ARTICLES

{{category(n, postList)}}

Slideshow

Central Valley Scores First Piece of California's High Speed Rail

california-high-speed-rail-project

1 of 1

California's much-anticipated high-speed rail project is finally set to hit the tracks -- starting with a 54 mile-long stretch of railway set to be laid down in the Central Valley. The track, which was just approved by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, will stretch from Borden to Fresno to Corcoran. But why the Central Valley -- and not one of the state's many population centers?